The Kokuyo Design Award is an international competition for user-centric design, where the best of the best are actually turned into products for the consumer market. Last year, the program received a total of 1,289 entries from designers in more than 46 countries. Past award winners include hit products like the Kadokeshi eraser, the Nameless Paints, and the True Measure ruler. The Kokuyo Design Award program is looking for more ideas to turn into actual products.
Programme Details
- Theme: How would you read this theme (♡).
- Number of awards: 4 or more.
- Number of Allowed Submission: Unlimited.
- Date: May 14, 2020 in Tokyo.
- Target group: Open to all.
Benefits
Grand Prize: 2,000,000 yen ( about 18,000$ ) and three Merit Award: 500,000 yen ( about 4,500$ ).
- Special prizes may be awarded.
- Not all prizes may be awarded for all categories if there is no winner selected.
- Prize money will be paid net of withholding tax, surtax for reconstruction funding, and other applicable deductions.
- The amount shown in dollar is that calculated at the time of publication. The prize will be calculated according to the exchange rate at the time of payment, from the amount shown in Japanese yen.
Eligibility
- The Kokuyo Design Award accepts entries from any corporation, individual, or group that fulfills all the following requirements, regardless of their age, sex, occupation, or nationality.
- Entrants must be able to make a presentation at final judging (secondary judging) in Tokyo. (May 14, 2020)
- In cases when an entrant is a minor, the consent of their parent or other statutory agent is required.
- Only design that have never before shown publicly (in Japan, other countries) are eligible.
- Any stationery, furniture or tool used in working, learning and living scenes are eligible entries.
Judging Criteria
- The design’s interpretation of the theme
- The completeness of the design and the ideas behind it
- The design’s potential to become a product.
Application instructions
Please submit your application by clicking the apply button and following instructions. For more detail on the Kokuyo Design Award, please visit the official page.